New Frontiers #50

[GM Mad]

New Frontiers #50


Gatehouse:

Things remain relatively quiet at the Vesubian Gatehouse after the arrival of Valena. Sherra walks the walls checking up on those stationed there while others speak to the new arrival.

"Understandable," he will state plainly. "From what you heard was there anyone else of major importance that was invited to this gathering?"

"I am told that it was a celebration feast held in the honor of the arch-mage Drakkimor and his companions. They had liberated Fort Runnels from the humanoid hordes that had held it. A division of men had been dispatched to the fort to hold it. Given the stature of this accomplishment, anyone who is anyone in Corunglain was attending the feast. It seems that this was the moment the enemy was waiting for. They struck while those with the most battle experience were away. There are too many of the enemy attacking the Duke's fortress to allow any passage past. They are all trapped in the fortress."

"If what have you seen is true then it does make sense," he says while looking between those who are listening. "It would seem that they are rotating their units to keep them fresh as Corunglain's defenders waver. Though what does not make sense is if they do posses the numbers in which you speak they could simply starve those within." Scratching his head slightly he will ask, "Do these warehouses of which you speak have sentries and how often do they emerge from it?"

"They rotate their forces according to those who favor night from day. Orcs, orogs, goblins, kobolds, and trolls shun the light of day, while hobgoblins, bugbears, and ogres mind it not. The gatehouses and other such defendable places are heavily stocked with food and drink. Facing sieges by humanoids isn't uncommon here in Corunglain. It would take many weeks to starve us out."

"I wasn't able to get too close to these warehouses. The sheer number of goblinoids there prevents it. No sentries are needed given their great numbers."

"Then this has been planned for some time then. To dig a tunnel of that magnitude as well as under a river would take some time to accomplish," he will add matter-of-factly.

"Caverns and underground passages honeycomb the lands under Corunglain and the Broken Lands. It is said that they even travel down into the depths of the earth where dark beings dwell. Not much digging was required, but to organize such large numbers took great skill."

The dwarf listens carefully to all of the information provided by Valena. The city is certainly in dire peril, but the people of the city still hold out in several places. Her description of the tunnels does much to explain the success of the attack; however, it concerns him greatly that the humanoids seem to have unknown higher priorities. "Any ideas, Valena, regarding what they are focusing their efforts toward?"

"None at all. I can only suspect that they are waiting for when the time is right. Perhaps a time or day that is important to their perverted gods."

"Though most of those who are among us are too old or young to go to battle, if all went well the others will return this night." Thinking for a moment he will look to the others and then return his gaze to Valena and say, "Before this night is through you will see those caverns sealed, though for now we are charged to hold this Gatehouse until Validar and our comrades return."

"There are nearly fifty refugees here in the gatehouse grounds. Of the Guardians, what you see here are about half our number. The others, including our leader Lord Validar, are currently on a raid into the city in an effort to stop a sacrificial rite to the orc's foul god Gruumsh."

"A sacrifice?", Valena will say in alarm. "Where? It is my duty to assist in the saving of the citizens of Corunglain. If what you say is true, then this does take precedence over stopping the influx of humanoids into the city. Lower me back down. I will go to aid your friends in their rescue attempt!"


Outside the Gatehouse walls, all remains quiet. Off in the distance to the north, you can see occasional flashes of light as Lightning Bolts are fired from the pegasus. Several bright flashes of light are seen in the area as well.

[GM Mad]

Riders:

The majority of the fighting in the Northtown Park has ceased. After being freed from her bonds, Crysania of Heironeous unleashed a Holy Word that devastated the enemy. The orc commander called for a retreat and departed after pausing to pick up the warrior Lord Acerion defeated.

The Guardians and the prisoners continue the assault on the fleeing orcs and many go down. Lyonessa conjures another Lightning Bolt and it brings down over a dozen orcs. Arocken chases them with arrows, while Chareos attacks with his staff.

In moments the area is deserted of the enemy. Once out of the park, the orcs disappear into the city. Arocken and Chareos spread out amongst the former prisoners and work to release them. Arocken bashes the manacles open with his sword, while Chareos is able to break most of the chains with his bare hands. This is a feat that will astound those who see it!

All of the prisoners here are all trained soldiers who were captured during the various battles over the last few days. They'll recover what weapons they can from the fallen orcs to defend themselves with.


While this is going on, Lords Acerion and Validar speak to the new arrivals.

"Greetings to all of you. You are welcome to join with us. We have reclaimed the Vesubian Gatehouse and therefore have a place to rest and recover. We could use your assistance in this battle most certainly."

Seeing the priestess of Heironeous stir, he will say, "Your ability was quite spectacular, Crysania of Heironeous. Your part in the battle as well was very much appreciated."

"I bid you welcome, milords. If only this were under more benign circumstances," Crysania will say as she rises to her feet once more. You can tell that she is wearing a finer version of her priestly garb as if she was at some important function. "I am only a humble servant of mighty Heironeous. Great and wondrous are the powers the Honorable Warrior grants me."

"Has any of you seen Drakkimor? I must find him. He must be here somewhere!"

Crysania will begin to look around in her attempt to find Drakkimor. The man-brute Gorso will hesitate for a second and then follow Crysania.

"What the lady says is true," Oran Firehammer adds. "Gorso and I have been fighting for most of the last three days. We are weary and hungry. If you have a place of safety, then we'll be happy to join forces with you. Then we can get down to serious retribution."


With a cry of elation, Crysania rushes towards one of the benches the orcs were using as a sacrificial altar. On it lies a man in simple dark robes. His hair is shoulder length and dark brown in color. He has a full beard.

"Drakkimor lives!", Crysania calls out. Gorso obediently goes to stand by his master. "The ceremony was interrupted before he could be sacrificed."

"Master…?", Gorso says in confusion.

However there is no response from Drakkimor. He continues to lay there with a dazed look on his face. His eyes are open, but they do not move.

Oran Firehammer joins his companions. "What did they do to him? Regardless, we need to get moving to shelter before those devils reorganize and return. I grabbed your and Drakkimor's gear from the Inn before it was overran. Pick'em up, Gorso and lay him in the wagon."

"Yes, you are right", Crysania agrees. "We should depart this place."

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

There are nearly fifty fighting men and woman among the rescued prisoners. The majority are human and regular soldiers. There are two sergeants and one lieutenant. They will have armed themselves with weapons the orcs dropped.

Orcs, like most intelligent beings, can be classed and gain levels. The Complete Book of Humanoids and Player's Option: Skills & Powers addresses this. Like everyone under these modified rules, there are no limits to the levels they can achieve. The majority of humanoids you've encountered so far are comparable to regular soldiers. The humanoid leaders are bit tougher than that having survived years of battles and conflicts.

As the group has gained levels, the strength of their opposition has increased as well. Higher level classed individuals can purchase additional abilities beyond the norm. These are called High Level NWP's and are detailed in the DM's Option: High-Level Characters book. The head orc used one of these abilities when 'wrapped himself up in the power of his god'.

These high level NWP's are class specific and have level requirements before you can purchase them. A few of these NWP have prerequisites where other high level NWP's must be purchased first to gain that one. The earliest a Warrior & Priests can purchase any high level NWP's is 10th level. Thieves are 11th level and wizards 12th.

All healing was performed as posted. It just wasn't mentioned above.


Current Hit Points:

Acerion - 16 of 46
Chareos - 56 of 59
Corley - 41 of 52
Grondar - 47 of 52
Havoc - 20 of 24
Laucian - 60 of 64
Po - 26 of 28
Validar - 24 of 76

Now what?

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

Validar helps to route the orcs and he is pleased by the effects they have had on their numbers.

"I bid you welcome, milords. If only this were under more benign circumstances," Crysania will say as she rises to her feet once more. You can tell that she is wearing a finer version of her priestly garb as if she was at some important function.

"Indeed. This situation is most foul and grievous. There is still much fighting to be done before Corunglain is saved."

"I am only a humble servant of mighty Heironeous. Great and wondrous are the powers the Honorable Warrior grants me."

"Your modesty is unnecessary, Crysania of Heironeous. But I fear we will need the powers granted to you again, and soon."

As Crysania and the others have located and identified the Arch-Mage Drakkimor, Validar receives word that the prisoners are almost all soldiers and number about 50. He nods his understanding and is quite pleased by the information. "That is good news. It will make holding our newly acquired defenses much easier."


"What the lady says is true," Oran Firehammer adds. "Gorso and I have been fighting for most of the last three days. We are weary and hungry. If you have a place of safety, then we'll be happy to join forces with you. Then we can get down to serious retribution."

"We will be glad to have you, Oran Firehammer, and your friends. The Gatehouse is secure and there is food and water there. We will return there and recover. Another battle will be awaiting us soon enough."

Oran Firehammer joins his companions. "What did they do to him? Regardless, we need to get moving to shelter before those devils reorganize and return. I grabbed your and Drakkimor's gear from the Inn before it was overran. Pick'em up, Gorso and lay him in the wagon."

"Yes, you are right", Crysania agrees. "We should depart this place."

Drakkimor is loaded onto the wagon and the group is soon assembled. "I have no intention of lingering in this place. We do have some issues to resolve however. But we will head to the Western Gatehouse and on to the rest of our group who hold our defenses."

(skipping over comments made regarding the conversation with Lord Acerion until he has a chance to add them - slight continuity issue here)

Seeing that Lord Acerion has healed himself somewhat, Lord Validar will reiterate his command to Lyonessa and the paladin. "We are going into further fighting and you need to be whole. Lyonessa, please complete this stubborn warrior's healing, if you would."

"Then, if you are willing, I would like to see the two of you remove those remaining four catapults from the Fire Giants' arsenal. You should be able to meet up with us around the time we reach the Western Gatehouse. We will wait for your arrivals there."


There are nearly fifty fighting men and woman among the rescued prisoners. The majority are human and regular soldiers. There are two sergeants and one lieutenant. They will have armed themselves with weapons the orcs dropped.

Lord Validar will ride up and address the soldiers once Arocken and Chareos has organized them and they are re-armed.

"We have taken the Vesubian Gatehouse and there is safety and shelter and food there. You will all be better armed as well. We will need all of you to defend this structure and allow us to continue to strike at the humanoids in a counter attack. Let us move with all haste!"

Validar will lead the others and the soldiers back towards the West Gatehouse. "We will need to clear this structure as well in order to pass. Unless the humanoids have reoriganized here, and I do not expect that they have, we will not have many to kill to empty it of enemies. The Guardians, and our new allies if they so choose, will move in ahead of our soldiers and destroy all signs of opposition. Then we should be able to have this group travel safely to the Vesubian Gatehouse."

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

As Lord Validar watches their new allies load the comatose body of Drakkimor onto the wagon, a memory hits the noble warrior.

"Crysania, I believe that I have seen a similar situation as this which has afflicted Drakkimor. During the seige of Gateway a vile potion was used in the water supply to weaken the defenders and to make it difficult for any mages to help defend it. We found some adventurers when we freed the ruined city near Gateway from the humanoids and their Hextor leaders. One priestess of Azrella was in much the same condition as this. Our own priest of Heironeous, Cereld, managed to develop a way to use the potion itself as its own cure. Perhaps you can free him from the effects he is experiencing."

"One question I have, you are obviously dressed in what was once finery and splendor. Were you at the feast or simply intending to attend? Also if Drakkimor was the feast's honorary, then how did he come to be here and in this condition? Was he replaced at the feast by some doppleganger?"

"It seems there has been much deception in these lands. The enemy is not only numerous but wily and it begins to speak of the involvement of Hextor's minions." Validar will sneer as he says those final two words. "If so, then we will oppose those souless slugs until they are no more."

"My suspicions were that Drakkimor and perhaps his companions were affected by the vile Black Water that we destroyed. But if that were the case, then why is he as such and you are here fighting against the enemies. What do you all know about the situation here? What are the humanoids after, other than complete destruction of Corunglain? And what do you know of who is behind this seige? Any information may prove vital."

Validar pauses and contemplates and a look of worry comes to his face. "The Hextorites were planning a major sacrifice to Hextor. The King had intended a major assault on Keln to thwart it, but the word came that the assault on Gateway and other actions caused a loss of too many priests and needed magic items. We rejoiced at the time and a new attack is planned for the Spring, rather than currently."

"But what if they simply turned their attention this way in the meantime. Strike at Cynalon from the weaker under-belly, from the under-protected flank. We do not yet know who was behind the Black Water fiasco and this is the sort of plan the Hextorites would take. The Kingdom may be in more danger than we expect."

[Grondar]

Grondar:

"I am told that it was a celebration feast held in the honor of the arch-mage Drakkimor and his companions. They had liberated Fort Runnels from the humanoid hordes that had held it. A division of men had been dispatched to the fort to hold it. Given the stature of this accomplishment, anyone who is anyone in Corunglain was attending the feast. It seems that this was the moment the enemy was waiting for. They struck while those with the most battle experience were away. There are too many of the enemy attacking the Duke's fortress to allow any passage past. They are all trapped in the fortress."

"Hmm..." the dwarf murmurs. "So this Drakkimor and the rest of the adventurers are there in the castle? If they managed to liberate Fort Runnels, they must be a powerful group indeed. That would bolster the capabilities of those inside the castle significantly. Perhaps they will be strong enough soon to make attacks into the city."

"They rotate their forces according to those who favor night from day. Orcs, orogs, goblins, kobolds, and trolls shun the light of day, while hobgoblins, bugbears, and ogres mind it not. The gatehouses and other such defendable places are heavily stocked with food and drink. Facing sieges by humanoids isn't uncommon here in Corunglain. It would take many weeks to starve us out."

"Clearly there is some greater intelligence organizing the goblinoid hordes. This makes the situation for this city all the more dire.

"Unfortunately, the same doesn't seem to apply to this gatehouse. From what we have been able to find, most of the food was ruined by the creatures before we liberated it. There is barely enough food to last until tomorrow."

"Caverns and underground passages honeycomb the lands under Corunglain and the Broken Lands. It is said that they even travel down into the depths of the earth where dark beings dwell. Not much digging was required, but to organize such large numbers took great skill."

Grondar nods. This only confirms what he had only surmised. "We shall have to learn who is responsible for their planning and coordination. If we can take them out, then it may drastically weaken their forces."

"None at all. I can only suspect that they are waiting for when the time is right. Perhaps a time or day that is important to their perverted gods."

This is a disturbing notion. Grondar searches his knowledge of humanoid religions for any hint of when such a time might be.

"A sacrifice?", Valena will say in alarm. "Where? It is my duty to assist in the saving of the citizens of Corunglain. If what you say is true, then this does take precedence over stopping the influx of humanoids into the city. Lower me back down. I will go to aid your friends in their rescue attempt!"

"The ritual was to take place in a park near the middle of the city, if I recall correctly. Those flashes of light off in the distance would be their attack. You can of course leave, but the fighting will likely be done by time you get there. We could certainly use your help in holding this gatehouse and keeping the refugees here safe until they return."

"Though most of those who are among us are too old or young to go to battle, if all went well the others will return this night." Thinking for a moment he will look to the others and then return his gaze to Valena and say, "Before this night is through you will see those caverns sealed, though for now we are charged to hold this Gatehouse until Validar and our comrades return."

"I don't know that I can back my eager friends assertion, since our leader is still in the field. However, I do know that he will treat this information very seriously and will plan a strike such as you suggest as soon as it can be readied."

The young bandit-turned-warrior Po accepts the blessings of Beronar with a timid smile. "There you go, my son," Grondar says with a wide smile. "You're looking almost as good as new." He reaches up as high as he can and claps the man on the shoulder. "I'll let you return to your duties while I see if anyone else is in need. And thank you, Po; you fought honorably and well this night."

"I appreciate your concern Grondar, though I am fine," he will say with an easy smile. "I will see to them soon."

"Good, good. I fear I am still not completely certain of everyone's abilities yet, so I wanted to make sure you were taken care of. At least this way, if the others are badly wounded when they return, there will be that much more healing available to help them."

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

Oran:

"We will be glad to have you, Oran Firehammer, and your friends. The Gatehouse is secure and there is food and water there. We will return there and recover. Another battle will be awaiting us soon enough."

"Food and water would be most welcomed. Ale would be better, but you can't have everything."

"Then, if you are willing, I would like to see the two of you remove those remaining four catapults from the Fire Giants' arsenal. You should be able to meet up with us around the time we reach the Western Gatehouse. We will wait for your arrivals there."

"Fire giants?", Oran will cry out. "There are fire giants here? Where? I haven't seen them anywhere in the city."


Crysania:

"Crysania, I believe that I have seen a similar situation as this which has afflicted Drakkimor. During the siege of Gateway a vile potion was used in the water supply to weaken the defenders and to make it difficult for any mages to help defend it. We found some adventurers when we freed the ruined city near Gateway from the humanoids and their Hextor leaders. One priestess of Azrella was in much the same condition as this. Our own priest of Heironeous, Cereld, managed to develop a way to use the potion itself as its own cure. Perhaps you can free him from the effects he is experiencing."

"That would explain a great deal", Crysania will say, a thoughtful look on her face. "I can say for certain that Hextor is involved in this scheme and that this potion you speak of has been used here in Corunglain. It laid most everyone else low, but I managed to fight off its effects after a time. I can free Drakkimor as soon as we get him into the wagon."

"One question I have, you are obviously dressed in what was once finery and splendor. Were you at the feast or simply intending to attend? Also if Drakkimor was the feast's honorary, then how did he come to be here and in this condition? Was he replaced at the feast by some doppelganger?"

"Drakkimor and I did attend the feast. That's where all of this started. Gorso stayed behind at the Inn due to his less than pleasing appearance. Oran does not care for such polite gatherings and remained behind as well. I can assure you that we are both the genuine beings."

"It seems there has been much deception in these lands. The enemy is not only numerous but wily and it begins to speak of the involvement of Hextor's minions." Validar will sneer as he says those final two words. "If so, then we will oppose those soulless slugs until they are no more."

"My suspicions were that Drakkimor and perhaps his companions were affected by the vile Black Water that we destroyed. But if that were the case, then why is he as such and you are here fighting against the enemies. What do you all know about the situation here? What are the humanoids after, other than complete destruction of Corunglain? And what do you know of who is behind this siege? Any information may prove vital."

"I do not know of this Black Water that you speak of. Is it the same potion that laid Gateway low? The information that I possess is indeed vital. I am not sure just what to make of it as of yet."

Validar pauses and contemplates and a look of worry comes to his face. "The Hextorites were planning a major sacrifice to Hextor. The King had intended a major assault on Keln to thwart it, but the word came that the assault on Gateway and other actions caused a loss of too many priests and needed magic items. We rejoiced at the time and a new attack is planned for the Spring, rather than currently."

"But what if they simply turned their attention this way in the meantime. Strike at Cynalon from the weaker under-belly, from the under-protected flank. We do not yet know who was behind the Black Water fiasco and this is the sort of plan the Hextorites would take. The Kingdom may be in more danger than we expect."

Drakkimor is helped to the wagon and Crysania joins him there. Gorso takes the reigns once more with Oran sitting beside him. Lord Validar rides alongside the wagon.

"As you know, we had just liberated Fort Runnels and the Duke was holding a celebration. A squadron of men was dispatched to hold the fort. The battle with the humanoid forces there was brutal and brief, but in the end we were victorious."

As she speaks, Crysania begins to rummage through what must be a Bag of Holding and begins to pull out equipment and gear. A Mithral Battle Axe is pulled out and set aside. A suit of chain mail and a shield soon follow.

Drakkimor and I attended the celebration. I must admit that I enjoy such gatherings. Drakkimor found it more a necessary evil that took away from his searching for new magic and spells."

"The full complement of Corunglain Nobility was present and I chatted with a good many people. After a time we sat down to eat. Toasts were made and that's when the trouble began. The Duke made a toast and after downing his goblet a pained look came to his face. He then fell over on top of the table and his meal. Others began dropping all around us. Drakkimor was in the same state that he currently is in."

"I could feel the fire of some poison coursing through my body. I gained some special resistance to poisons many years ago and it helped, but I was weak and unable to even move."

"From out of nowhere, orcs swarmed into the Duke's feast hall. The doors were sealed from the inside and they picked up all the guests, myself included. Those who they identified as spell casters were shackled and gagged to prevent them from casting spells. I couldn't even concentrate, let alone invoke magic in the name of Heironeous."

"I was picked up and carried off. There was a shimmer along one of the walls that I had not noticed before. The orc carried me into the shimmer and I was gone from the feast hall. The shimmer was a portal of some type and I now found myself in another place. Where it was I knew not, but it was extremely warm. The walls seemed to be made of some sort of crystal and what I had passed through was a mirror."

"I was taken into a side chamber and then carelessly dropped on the floor while the orc went back through the mirror for more victims. The bodies were piled up. Finally everyone was brought to this strange place. The door was closed and all of us were left inside."

"For many long hours we languished in that chamber until finally the door opened once more and orcs began to drag us out. The orcs were acting at the direction of the orc leader we saw here in the park. He is called Dek."

"With Dek was a collection of unusual beings. The most unusual was a woman wearing black scale mail dedicated to Hextor. Unless the drug clouded my vision, this woman had six arms! I learned that her name was Xanathom and that she is the High Priestess of Hextor for this part of the world. Her base of operations is the city they call New Keln."

"Next was who I determined to be the master of this place, a dark wizard by the name of Opikus. He was an old man with long graying red hair, a full beard, and a bushy mustache. He wore black silk robes embroidered with gold and silver."

"Last was a short woman who's black robes obscured her from sight. I learned that her name was Krazzora and that she was in fact a dark elf and a priestess of Lloth."

"I quickly came to understand that the prisoners, the nobility of Corunglain, were to be divided up as if they were a prize. Xanathom noticed me and suggested that Dek sacrifice me to Gruumsh. She considered it to be an insulting end to a follower of Heironeous. Dek agreed and I was saved until last."

"Opikus somehow manipulated the mirror and an image appeared in it. Xanathom departed through the mirror and several Hextorites came through, grabbed some of the prisoners and departed with them."

"Once they were done, Opikus used the mirror once more and a dark temple appeared in the mirror. Krazzora departed and like before, drow came in and took most of the rest of the prisoners."

"Dek and Opikus exchanged words. 'Do not let the siege end too soon', Opikus told Dek who was not happy with this. 'We must wait until he arrives. Then we can begin to systematically destroy all that they have worked for. They will pay for slaying my mother! They will all pay!'"

"Of those who were left, only Drakkimor and myself were taken with Dek when he departed this strange place through the mirror. We appeared somewhere here in the city and were forced to wait some more. I finally threw off the effects of the poison, but was still unable to act. Then a short time ago, we were dragged out into the night with all these others."

"The rest you know. If not for your and Oran's intervention, Drakkimor and I would have perished. For that you have my undying gratitude."

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

Oran -
"We will be glad to have you, Oran Firehammer, and your friends. The Gatehouse is secure and there is food and water there. We will return there and recover. Another battle will be awaiting us soon enough."

"Food and water would be most welcomed. Ale would be better, but you can't have everything."

"We will be there shortly, my new dwarven friend."


"Then, if you are willing, I would like to see the two of you remove those remaining four catapults from the Fire Giants' arsenal. You should be able to meet up with us around the time we reach the Western Gatehouse. We will wait for your arrivals there."

"Fire giants?", Oran will cry out. "There are fire giants here? Where? I haven't seen them anywhere in the city."

"Calm yourself, Firehammer. That is a combat for another time. The Fire Giants are outside the city and are bombarding the Duke's Fortress with their massive flaming catapult shot. We have already incapacitated three of their number. If we could reduce the remainder to wreckage, then it will be a great relief to the Fortress defenders. We will strike at the Fire Giants directly when they become the next most important target."


Crysania -
"That would explain a great deal", Crysania will say, a thoughtful look on her face. "I can say for certain that Hextor is involved in this scheme and that this potion you speak of has been used here in Corunglain. It laid most everyone else low, but I managed to fight off its effects after a time. I can free Drakkimor as soon as we get him into the wagon."

Crysania confirms Validar's new suspicions that Hextorites are involved behind this. "It does fit the Hextor profile. They use others to fight for them as cannon fodder and strike with wicked cunning. They also organized humanoids to fight for them in the seige of Gateway. And they also incapacitated the defenders of the city with a vile potion."


"My suspicions were that Drakkimor and perhaps his companions were affected by the vile Black Water that we destroyed. But if that were the case, then why is he as such and you are here fighting against the enemies. What do you all know about the situation here? What are the humanoids after, other than complete destruction of Corunglain? And what do you know of who is behind this siege? Any information may prove vital."

"I do not know of this Black Water that you speak of. Is it the same potion that laid Gateway low? The information that I possess is indeed vital. I am not sure just what to make of it as of yet."

"The Black Water is not the same as the potion involved with Gateway. The Black Water brought its victims under control of the Lord of Corruption. He is no more and his vile swamp Beleme is gone as well. The Black Water was cleansed by Elspeth of Azrella."

"Likely the potion which was used on Gateway is the same used here, as the effects are the same. Either they had more, as we destroyed all that was at Gateway or the mage who created it made more for them."


As they move out, Validar listens to Crysania's story. "So someone inside drugged the ceremony's drinks, although from the sounds of the orcs arrival method it could have been easy. A friend, Kharyna of Mystra, explained at length some workings of a magic item they possesed which is in effect a Mirror of Teleportation, although I think they called it a Mirror of Mental Prowess or some such thing. It sounds like this is what the enemy used to gain entrance to the Fortress and to transport the captives away. They could now be anywhere."

"If all of the Corunglain nobles were captured and split up that is a terrible thing. There is now a serious power vaccuum here without leaders and as such explains some of the humanoids' actions. Besides rescuing the city itself, we now have the issue of all the nobles to be found and rescued." Validar shakes his head as that thought sinks in. This situation is going from bad to worse, he thinks. "One thing at a time unfortunately. We cannot begin to think about rescues until the enemy here is beaten back and the city re-secured."

"As for the leaders you saw, if this Xanathom is indeed based in New Keln and the leader of this area, she is likely an extremely powerful enemy. The sub-commanders that we battled in the Frontier were all very powerful adversaries in their own right and were likely just lieutenants. Hextor has indeed turned his evil eye towards our side of the Kingdom."

"This Dek is a powerful adversary in and of himself. I have never encountered a more powerful humanoid enemy nor one with such powers and magicks available to it. We must do all we can to slay these leaders during this battle."

"Finally, they are waiting for someone to arrive. I wonder who that might be. You said the dark wizard was an old man. Someone who killed his mother..." Validar thinks through his memories of tales and deeds of the Kingdom, but cannot seem to place any that specifically match the known situation. Nothing he can think of describes a Tower or Fortress made of Crystal. "It is a puzzling situation. One that we seem to lack many of the details still."

"The rest you know. If not for your and Oran's intervention, Drakkimor and I would have perished. For that you have my undying gratitude."

"It is then fortuitous that we came upon this place when we did. I am angered that we could not save all those who were visciously sacrificed to the orc's pathetic deity. For them there can only be retribution."

"Your gratitude is appreciated, but we will need your assistance in these battles as much as you needed ours I fear. There is much to accomplish and many battles yet to win. Fortunately, your presence in the Fortress before may help us to rally the troops there once we can counter-attack on the enemy and end their seige. The actual fighting is almost a non-factor now in the overall scheme of things, but to the individual citizens and soldiers of this city, it remains vital. We must find a way to drive off the hordes, kill or cripple the leaders here and also learn what we can about those who orchestrated this evil plot. I fear this night will not end soon."

[Acerion]

Acerion:

Regardless of whether the others come with us (and I hope they do), Validar will turn to Lord Acerion. "Lord Acerion, I require your counsel for a brief moment." The two step away and speak, although Validar is not trying to hush his voice or hide what they are saying.

"The orcs were a bit more than what I expected. My overconfidence put us at a disadvantage and yet I am loathe to let this setback hinder us in our attempt to free this city and to engage the enemy on as many fronts as possible."

"I would like to see the Fire Giants catapults destroyed and only Lyonessa and the Wand of Lightning are capable of that. Also I would like to secure the West Gatehouse as well, even if we do not occupy it this night. What are your thoughts?"

"My thoughts?" Acerion will repeat. "My thoughts are we can not do enough this night to repair everything that has been done to these people. I will fight until exhaustion overcomes me or the last vile goblinoid is driven from this city."

Collecting himself a bit, he continues, "I see no reason why we can't destroy those catapults, although my pegasus will be laboring hard with both of us. Do we have any other way of performing flight?"

"With Dek was a collection of unusual beings. The most unusual was a woman wearing black scale mail dedicated to Hextor. Unless the drug clouded my vision, this woman had six arms! I learned that her name was Xanathom and that she is the High Priestess of Hextor for this part of the world. Her base of operations is the city they call New Keln."

Listening to Crysania's tale does little to alleviate the grim look that has settled on Acerion's face, but mention of a High Priestess of Hextor stirs the paladin's determination. He feels he should say something, but words escape him due to his seething rage. Still, he does manage to listen and learn more horrible truths. Finally her tale draws to a close.

"The rest you know. If not for your and Oran's intervention, Drakkimor and I would have perished. For that you have my undying gratitude."

"Thank you for your kind words, Lady Crysania, but I believe I speak for all of us here when I tell you that we would ride down these vile enemies for all that they have done even without a single word or gesture of gratitude," Acerion remarks.

"As for the leaders you saw, if this Xanathom is indeed based in New Keln and the leader of this area, she is likely a very powerful enemy. The sub-commanders that we battled in the Frontier were all very powerful adversaries and were likely just lieutenants. Hextor has indeed turned his evil eye towards our side of the Kingdom."

"Well then he better be prepared to have his eye bloodied and cleaved from his skull," Acerion will say matter-of-factly.

Seeing that Lord Acerion has healed himself somewhat, Lord Validar will reiterate his command to Lyonessa and the paladin. "We are going into further fighting and you need to be whole. Lyonessa, please complete this stubborn warrior's healing, if you would."

"Then, if you are willing, I would like to see the two of you remove those remaining four catapults from the Fire Giants' arsenal. You should be able to meet up with us around the time we reach the Western Gatehouse. We will wait for your arrivals there."

Acerion chuckles, "If there are none other that need healing before me, then by all means Lyonessa, quiet our concerned leader and heal me." Acerion will rap Validar on his armored shoulder playfully while he waits for the songstress to heal him.

"It has nothing to do with being willing," the paladin continues, "as you know my mind on this. If there are no other alternatives, then her and I will destroy those catapults and meet back up with you." He will clasp wrists with Validar and Corley and also bow slightly to the lady Crysania before departing.

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

"My thoughts?" Acerion will repeat. "My thoughts are we can not do enough this night to repair everything that has been done to these people. I will fight until exhaustion overcomes me or the last vile goblinoid is driven from this city."

Collecting himself a bit, he continues, "I see no reason why we can't destroy those catapults, although my pegasus will be laboring hard with both of us. Do we have any other way of performing flight?"

"Unfortunately, Argent is spent and no one else has flight capabilities this night. I believe we will have more options in the morning and I am sure that this battle will likely be continuing then, but for now, your pegasus is it. The only option I see if Lyonessa were to go without you. It is a risk and from what I saw, would be contingent on the pegasus understanding what was required and fulfilling the task. I leave that choice up to you."


"Thank you for your kind words, Lady Crysania, but I believe I speak for all of us here when I tell you that we would ride down these vile enemies for all that they have done even without a single word or gesture of gratitude," Acerion remarks.

"Indeed, he speaks the truth," Lord Validar will add. "We will not falter until this battle is won."



Acerion chuckles, "If there are none other that need healing before me, then by all means Lyonessa, quiet our concerned leader and heal me." Acerion will rap Validar on his armored shoulder playfully while he waits for the songstress to heal him.

"It has nothing to do with being willing," the paladin continues, "as you know my mind on this. If there are no other alternatives, then her and I will destroy those catapults and meet back up with you." He will clasp wrists with Validar and Corley and also bow slightly to the lady Crysania before departing.

"Indeed I expected your response. Especially now with Hextor's involvement in this. We cannot rest until the enemies of Cynalon are driven far from our lands." Validar will grip the paladin's wrist tightly and look into his eyes. "Do not show them any mercy, but do not risk needlessly. I will be waiting at the West Gatehouse."

[Lyonessa]

Lyonessa:

Seeing that Lord Acerion has healed himself somewhat, Lord Validar will reiterate his command to Lyonessa and the paladin. "We are going into further fighting and you need to be whole. Lyonessa, please complete this stubborn warrior's healing, if you would."

"Then, if you are willing, I would like to see the two of you remove those remaining four catapults from the Fire Giants' arsenal. You should be able to meet up with us around the time we reach the Western Gatehouse. We will wait for your arrivals there."

Acerion chuckles, "If there are none other that need healing before me, then by all means Lyonessa, quiet our concerned leader and heal me." Acerion will rap Validar on his armored shoulder playfully while he waits for the songstress to heal him.

Lyonessa smiles at the banter between the two lords. even in the midst of a struggle for our very lives, they are able to keep their spirits high Lyonessa is impressed by their fighting abilities and how noble they are, and suddenly she feels like a young girl staring at heroes from the tales and legends told in her childhood.

Lyonessa will move to heal the paladin, converting her Whispering Wind spell first, then as needed her Taunt and Calm Animals spells. Hoping those will be enough, she will approach Lord Validar. "I will make sure both of us return to meet up with the rest of you," she will say reassuringly.

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

Lyonessa will move to heal the paladin, converting her Whispering Wind spell first, then as needed her Taunt and Calm Animals spells. Hoping those will be enough, she will approach Lord Validar. "I will make sure both of us return to meet up with the rest of you," she will say reassuringly.

Validar watches as the Bard heals Lord Acerion. "I have no doubt of your bravery, Songstress of Mystra. Nor of the abilities of either of you. Strike quickly and strike hard."

Lord Validar watches as the pair mount up and wing away again. He looks on, a sense of admiration for all his companions filling him. This is a battle that none of them were required to enter and the danger here is beyond any that they had faced before. Still each of his comrades is ready to rush into danger for people they have not met. Surely, he is among heroes this day.

His thoughts quickly returning to his current situation, Lord Validar leads his remaining teammates and the rescued soldiers forward. The soldiers have already been formed up into a travelling column about 5 men wide. "Arocken, stay close, but move out slightly to keep an eye ahead for any trouble. Lord Corley and Chareos, each of you take one of the flanks of the formation." The wagon rides at the front of the procession along with Crysania and himself. Lord Validar hopes they will reach the Western Gatehouse without incident, but steels himself for more combat.

With the slight lull in the chaos of the night, Validar will ask Crysania about a particular potential guest at the feast. "By any chance did you come across a Lady Gabriella Allonica as a guest at the party? Last I heard she was headed to Corunglain with a caravan. I truly hope she had departed these lands before this horrible siege commenced."

[Corley]

Corley:

Shaking off the effects of the strange fear that overcame him, Lord Corley returns to the others after retrieving Destrier. He sees Lord Validar addressing Lord Acerion and the woman priestess who was rescued. Corley is close enough to hear their words, but makes no comments himself. Since his council was not sought out and Corley has nothing constructive to add, he remains silent.

"It has nothing to do with being willing," the paladin continues, "as you know my mind on this. If there are no other alternatives, then her and I will destroy those catapults and meet back up with you." He will clasp wrists with Validar and Corley and also bow slightly to the lady Crysania before departing.

"Battle well," Corley will say when Acerion clasps wrists.

His thoughts quickly returning to his current situation, Lord Validar leads his remaining teammates and the rescued soldiers forward. The soldiers have already been formed up into a travelling column about 5 men wide. "Arocken, stay close, but move out slightly to keep an eye ahead for any trouble. Lord Corley and Chareos, each of you take one of the flanks of the formation."

Mounting up, Corley takes the position indicated and rides along with the formation keeping an eye open for trouble.

[Valena Feador]

Valena:

"The ritual was to take place in a park near the middle of the city, if I recall correctly. Those flashes of light off in the distance would be their attack. You can of course leave, but the fighting will likely be done by time you get there. We could certainly use your help in holding this gatehouse and keeping the refugees here safe until they return."

"And hold the Gatehouse you have," Valena will point out. "If they are rescuing others and attempting to bring them back through an enemy occupied city, then they will need all the assistance they can get. Besides, if I am to have their aid in sealing these entrances into the city, they must safely return here first."

"Worry not, good dwarf. I can take care of myself."

Valena will then slide down the rope once more and rush off to the north. She'll have her bow at the ready and keep to the shadows.

[Sherra]

Sherra:

"Well that sure didn't take long," Sherra mutters to herself as Valena insists on heading back into the city. In truth, Sherra would prefer going with the elven woman rather than standing guard on a wall. She's built for breaking into such places, not defending them. Still, she knows her companions need and appreciate her help, so she remains, at least for now.

Moving to a better position, Sherra readies her bow. As Valena slips back into the city, Sherra covers the elven woman until she no longer can.

[Laucian]

Laucian

"I wasn't able to get too close to these warehouses. The sheer number of goblinoids there prevents it. No sentries are needed given their great numbers."

"It would appear whomever was behind such an attack didn't plan for any resistance or counter-attack. This could work to our advantage."

"A sacrifice?", Valena will say in alarm. "Where? It is my duty to assist in the saving of the citizens of Corunglain. If what you say is true, then this does take precedence over stopping the influx of humanoids into the city. Lower me back down. I will go to aid your friends in their rescue attempt!"
"And hold the Gatehouse you have," Valena will point out. "If they are rescuing others and attempting to bring them back through an enemy occupied city, then they will need all the assistance they can get. Besides, if I am to have their aid in sealing these entrances into the city, they must safely return here first."

Taking up the rope as Grondar tells of where to go, Laucian will lower the rope. "Good luck, Valena. We will hold here 'til you and our companions return."

"Unfortunately, the same doesn't seem to apply to this gatehouse. From what we have been able to find, most of the food was ruined by the creatures before we liberated it. There is barely enough food to last until tomorrow."

"As important as our rations are it is still somewhat minor. We only need to pray for our Deities' graces and we should have more than enough, for now anyway."

"Good, good. I fear I am still not completely certain of everyone's abilities yet, so I wanted to make sure you were taken care of. At least this way, if the others are badly wounded when they return, there will be that much more healing available to help them."

He will nod in agreement.
Afterward Laucian walks the walls, occasionally stopping amongst the refugees as well as Argent and Ivy. Asking how they are holding up and if they need any arrows after the barrage. Afterward he will remain viligant on the wall keeping his bow at the ready for any trouble.

[Chareos]

Chareos

The Guardians and the prisoners continue the assault on the fleeing orcs and many go down. Lyonessa conjures another Lightning Bolt and it brings down over a dozen orcs. Arocken chases them with arrows, while Chareos attacks with his staff.

In moments the area is deserted of the enemy. Once out of the park, the orcs disappear into the city. Arocken and Chareos spread out amongst the former prisoners and work to release them. Arocken bashes the manacles open with his sword, while Chareos is able to break most of the chains with his bare hands. This is a feat that will astound those who see it!

Gripping the iron chains in his hand he begins to pull them apart. The metal groans in protest as he begins breaking the chains with his bare hands. A slight smile grows as he sees just how enhanced he is looking at those around him they can see the astonishment on his face.

As the prisoners are freed the news that they are soldiers soon raises his spirits and he will say, "Come brothers, we have much to do this night."

At the news that Acerion and Lyonessa are assaulting the catapults, Chareos will wish them both luck. "Give them a sting they will not soon forget, my friends."

Validar wrote:
"We will be glad to have you, Oran Firehammer, and your friends. The Gatehouse is secure and there is food and water there. We will return there and recover. Another battle will be awaiting us soon enough."

"Food and water would be most welcomed. Ale would be better, but you can't have everything."

Taking his wineskin from his mount, he will approach Oran, "It is not much but you are welcome to it."

Taking up the oppisite side of Lord Corley, Charoes will ready his staff as they begin marching through the streets towards the gatehouse. He just wishes they had another Silence spell to mask themselves.

[Grondar]

Grondar:

"It would appear whom ever was behind such an attack didnt plan for any resistance or counter attack. This could work to our advantage."

"It is certainly true that overconfidence could prove their downfall. Then again, we must be careful that it doesn't prove to be ours."

"And hold the Gatehouse you have," Valena will point out.

"That's true, but there hasn't yet been a serious push by the goblinoids to retake it. I fear we are too few to hold it against a major attack."

"Worry not, good dwarf. I can take care of myself."

"Of that, I have no doubt, good lady," Grondar says with a crooked smile.

"As important as our rations are it is still somewhat minor. We only need to pray for our Deities graces and we should have more then enough, for now anyway."

"You are right that we can probably feed the roughly sixty people who are here now. However, if Validar's mission is successful, they may rescue and return with quite a few more. That would be many more mouths to feed, and that could push our ability to provide for them to the limit."

Once the injured and dead have been taken care of, Grondar will return to wall with the others. He moves over near Sherra, pausing with crossbow in hand and looking out over the city. <"Hello my friend. How are you holding up?"> he asks in Dwarvish.

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

Just to clarify our current plans:

Lord Acerion and Lyonessa are flying off to make a quick attack on the Fire Giants' catapults bombarding the Duke's Fortress.

Meanwhile the remainder of the group from the attack on the orc sacrifice (Lord Validar, Chareos, Lord Corley and Arocken) along with their four new allies (Oran, Crysania, Gorso and Drakkimor), move out, leading the ex-prisoners toward the Western Gatehouse.

The soldiers are armed as best as they can be from the fallen orcs and are arrayed in a travelling column for maximum speed. Lord Corley and Chareos take the flank positions from horseback, while Arocken scouts slightly ahead. The others ride near the front of the column with the wagon.

If we do not encounter any serious trouble along the way to the Gatehouse, then once they get close, Arocken will check the Gatehouse walls and then the inner courtyard. If there are trolls and humanoids remaining as before, then the adventurers will attack, but Validar will hold back the soldiers for the moment.

Once the Gatehouse is cleared, Lord Validar will have the soldiers close up the Gatehouse, securing all doors and barring all gates and portcullis. They will raise the white flag on the Gatehouse central tower and await Acerion and Lyonessa's return here. The soldiers will be better armed and some food supplies will be gathered and packed up on the wagon.

Once Lord Acerion returns, Validar will ask him to fly over the area between the two Gatehouses and scout for any humanoid bands which could hinder their return to the Vesubian Gatehouse. Lyonessa will ride with one of the other riders.

If there are no big hinderences, Lord Acerion will wing over to the Gatehouse we hold to let the archers know to cover our movements should that be necessary. Validar will open one portcullis and then keep it open for everyone to travel to the Vesubian Gatehouse. Lord Validar will remain behind to close the portcullis and the gates after the others have left for the Vesubian Gatehouse. He will then await Lord Acerion's return on his pegasus.

[GM Mad]

Post Continued:


Vesubian Gatehouse:

At the Vesubian Gatehouse, the newly arrived Valena Feador of Ehlonna is ready to depart. Having learned that the other Guardians have gone forth in an effort to interrupt a major sacrifice of humans by the orcs, the elf maiden wishes to assist them in this noble endeavor.

Laucian takes the rope and tosses it down over the wall once more. Valena steps up on the battlements and takes the rope in her hands. She suddenly stops and stares out into the darkness as if looking at someone.

Not too far away, Sherra paces the battlements keeping any eye out for trouble. Out in the darkness, she spots a momentary flash of light. As if a light source briefly reflected off of something shiny. Sherra pauses too get a better look.

At nearly the same time, both Sherra and Valena call out. "INCOMING!"

Valena dives back onto the battlements, taking Laucian down with her. A moment later, a swarm of arrows fired by unseen archers streak over the battlements! Of the adventurers, only Ivy is struck by an arrow and that only harmlessly bounces off her Stoneskin. One of the refugee defenders is struck and he goes down in a shower of blood.

Looking outside the Gatehouse, you can see a unit of goblins rushing the walls. They are carrying with them numerous jugs and bottles. A rag has been stuffed into the tops of these containers and they are on fire.

More arrows ring out from the unseen archers. It is clear from where they are originating from that the archers have taken positions in the nearby buildings and on the tops of said buildings.

Those with Infravision can just make out goblin archers in those buildings. They fire their bows and then duck for cover to reload.


GM Notes:

There are about 20 goblins rushing the battlements with Molotov Cocktails. There are approximately an equal number of goblins archers in the nearby buildings.

[GM Mad]

Riders:

Taking his wineskin from his mount, he will approach Oran, "It is not much but you are welcome to it."

"Thanks," Oran will say and down the skin's contents.

"Your gratitude is appreciated, but we will need your assistance in these battles as much as you needed ours I fear. There is much to accomplish and many battles yet to win. Fortunately, your presence in the Fortress before may help us to rally the troops there once we can counter-attack on the enemy and end their siege. The actual fighting is almost a non-factor now in the overall scheme of things, but to the individual citizens and soldiers of this city, it remains vital. We must find a way to drive off the hordes, kill or cripple the leaders here and also learn what we can about those who orchestrated this evil plot. I fear this night will not end soon."

"My associates and I never run from a fight, Lord Validar," Crysania will state. "We will battle by your side until the glorious end. These vermin will be driven from these city walls and sent skulking back to the darkness that spawned them!"

With the slight lull in the chaos of the night, Validar will ask Crysania about a particular potential guest at the feast. "By any chance did you come across a Lady Gabriella Allonica as a guest at the party? Last I heard she was headed to Corunglain with a caravan. I truly hope she had departed these lands before this horrible siege commenced."

Crysania thinks back to those she met at the feast. She shakes her head slowly after a moment. "I am sorry, but I do not remember anyone by that name." Validar gives a brief description of his lady and Crysania confirms once more that she does not remember seeing someone of that description.

"Thank you for your kind words, Lady Crysania, but I believe I speak for all of us here when I tell you that we would ride down these vile enemies for all that they have done even without a single word or gesture of gratitude," Acerion remarks.

Crysania will greet Lord Acerion with a salute common to Heironeous followers and then will grasp his hands. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, fellow Axe Brother. I am delighted to find one of our kind amongst the city defenders. There is much work to be done, brother. I am sure that we are both up to the task."

Seeing that Lyonessa's efforts haven't completely healed Acerion, Crysania will finish the task. "No need to face the enemy and not be in peak condition if possible. Go forth on your task with the blessings of our god."

Noting that Lord Validar is also injured, Crysania will step up to him next. "The same goes for you. Stand still and I shall heal your wounds."


While Lord Acerion and Lyonessa are preparing to take flight once more, Crysania will slip into her combat gear. Her suit of chainmail is simply worn over her tattered robes and a helm and shield added for protection.

Once ready, she takes her place in the back of the wagon near Drakkimor. Before the trek begins, she casts yet another spell and Heals the mage. Drakkimor's eyes blink and he rises as if coming out of a deep sleep. Crysania quickly brings Drakkimor up to date on the situation.

"Yes, we must find a place to rest," Drakkimor states. "The foul potion not only robbed me of my ability to think, but I have lost all the spells I once possessed. I will need to rest and then time to arm myself with magic. Let us move out."

[GM Mad]

Taking Wing:

Once ready, the pegasus takes off once more bearing Lord Acerion and Lyonessa. The Songstress holds the Wand of Lightning at the ready. Thanks to her brief earlier solo flight, Lyonessa can now feel the pegasus laboring with the two riders where she did not notice it before.

The winged steed rises up high over the park and then flies to the north. Once more the City of Corunglain stretches out below them. The fighting at the three northern gates is now clear to them.

The Duke's Star Shaped fortress passes below them. The Gatehouse to the fortress is not the same configuration as the other Gatehouses. The Duke's fortress is essentially on its own island when compared to the rest of the city. One half of the Duke's Gatehouse is on the city side, the other on the Duke's side. A wide drawbridge connects the fortress to the city. The drawbridge is currently up. Orcs seem to hold the city side of the gatehouse and humans the fortress side.

Flying further north, the area where the Fire Giants are launching their bombardments from comes into view. It also becomes clear that Corunglain itself is built on an island as another channel separates the city from the lands to the north. The swift flowing waters of the Vesubian and Streel Rivers create a formidable barrier.

On the banks of the far shore the Fire Giants and their gigantic catapults can be seen. The catapults that Argent torched earlier are still burning and many of the giants are near them warming themselves by the fires. The entire area is very bright from the illumination of the flames. It is momentarily blinding to Dusk, Lyonessa's owl familiar.

At Lord Acerion's direction, the pegasus banks to the east and then gently swings back to the west. The flight path will take the pegasus directly over the four active catapults down below. At Lyonessa's direction, the pegasus dives closer to the targets. (The wand only has a range of 100 yards.)

As the riders fly closer, more details of the Giants can be seen. They range from 15 to 20 feet in height with coal black skin and flaming orange hair and beards.

Once in range, Lyonessa unleashes a bolt from the wand. The lightning knifes through the night and strikes the first catapult. The entire area is briefly illuminated from the discharge. The catapult struck catches fire and the flames begin to spread rapidly!

The attack does not go unnoticed as numerous Giants point up into the sky as the white pegasus soars past. Several of the giants pick up small boulders and send them skyward! The first makeshift missile actually overshoots the pegasus and passes overhead! The strength these Giants possess must be incredible!

Several more boulders sail past the pegasus harmlessly, but one slams hard into the noble steed's flank! The pegasus lets out a yelp of pain and it becomes a great effort to remain airborne. The pegasus begins to dive toward the Vesubian River below!


GM Notes:

The pegasus has been wounded and flying is no longer an option. Acerion will feel confident that he'll be able to guide the steed to the far shore of the Vesubian River. (That would be the same side of the river that the Guardians first approached the city from. So the Vesubian Gatehouse can be reached by walking south.)

Another option would be to bank to the right and try to land on the same shore as the Fire Giants are on, not that I would recommend it.

A third option would be to try and bank left and land inside the Duke's Fortress. This would be very dangerous as the pegasus would have to maintain enough altitude to clear the fortress walls.

Of course the easiest thing to do is splash down in the cold, fast moving waters of the Vesubian River and take your chances there.

[GM Mad]

West Gatehouse:

After Lord Acerion and Lyonessa take off, the remainder of the riders begin the trek towards the West Gatehouse. The lieutenant among the rescued soldiers works with the sergeants and gets the men armed and into formation. With the wagon leading the way, the procession moves out.

A few enemy goblinoids are spotted along the way, but they quickly run upon seeing how large the procession is. Oran flings his Firehammer at those targets who stand still long enough.


Finally, the West Gatehouse comes into view and from a distance it appears to be just as the was when the riders passed through it. Arocken sneaks ahead on foot to scout the area out.

The elfin ranger returns about ten minutes later and reports to Validar.

"It seems the same as when we first passed through. The gates are all still raised and there are six trolls and four carrion crawlers in the courtyard. Unlike our previous visit, I had the distinct impression there was someone or something inside the towers. I thought I could hear movement and talking. The voices sounded human-like."


GM Notes:

Not much more to add. Lyonessa burned the three spells she listed in her effort to heal Acerion. Crysania finished the job.


Current Hit Points:

Chareos - 56 of 59
Corley - 41 of 52
Grondar - 47 of 52
Havoc - 20 of 24
Laucian - 60 of 64
Pegasus - 8 of 28
Po - 26 of 28
Validar - 25 of 76

Now what?

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

"Your gratitude is appreciated, but we will need your assistance in these battles as much as you needed ours I fear. There is much to accomplish and many battles yet to win. Fortunately, your presence in the Fortress before may help us to rally the troops there once we can counter-attack on the enemy and end their siege. The actual fighting is almost a non-factor now in the overall scheme of things, but to the individual citizens and soldiers of this city, it remains vital. We must find a way to drive off the hordes, kill or cripple the leaders here and also learn what we can about those who orchestrated this evil plot. I fear this night will not end soon."

"My associates and I never run from a fight, Lord Validar," Crysania will state. "We will battle by your side until the glorious end. These vermin will be driven from these city walls and sent skulking back to the darkness that spawned them!"

"Spoken like a true follower of Heironeous," Validar will state with a smile. "We are pleased to fight beside you."


Noting that Lord Validar is also injured, Crysania will step up to him next. "The same goes for you. Stand still and I shall heal your wounds."

Validar will raise his hand to halt Crysania's advance. "I have my own methods of healing. Your granted powers may be needed in another, more necessary manner soon enough."


Seeing Drakkimor recovered, Validar will make his greetings. "My companions remain behind at the Vesubian Gatehouse and are defending it. We will meet up with them and continue our defense of the city as well as make plans for further attacks. You will be able to rest there."


Moving out, the group manages to scare off the few goblinoids they happen to stray across. Eventually, the Western Gatehouse comes into view. It appears the same as when they passed through it before, but the group awaits Arocken's return.

After a quick scout, Arocken arrives to make his quick report. Things are the same as they were except for the new occupants, which he did not see. He indicates that they were inside the towers.

Validar considers for a moment. If the voices are those of the enemy, then they are either small in number or they are recovering in the barracks, otherwise they would likely be patrolling and manning the walls. If the voices are friendly, then it will only benefit them to attack the Gatehouse and take it.

Lord Validar calls a brief halt to the advance and calls the adventurers together. "Arocken has found that the Gatehouse is in much the same condition as we left it. However, he has noticed voices and movement coming from inside the towers. We must assume that the voices, although human, are enemies. If they are not, then we are that much further ahead."

"There are Trolls and Carrion Crawlers in the courtyard and we must quickly deal with these monsters. We will move in and attack. Any with ranged weapons should attack right away upon entering range. We must strike quickly and effectively, concentrating on the trolls."

"There are six trolls. Lord Corley will attack one. Gorso and Oran, each another. Crysania and Chareos, a fourth together. I will combat a fifth. Whoever can kill their trolls the fastest will move on and attack the remaining or help those who need it. Arocken will fire his arrows as needed, concentrating at first on the free troll."

"As for the soliders, we will split them into groups of eight. Each of four groups will move to intercept the Carrion Crawlers if they approach the combat. This will be a defensive attack strategy and if the Crawlers do not threaten us, then the soldiers will wait until we finish the trolls. I have no desire to lose any of us on needless attacks."

"One of the groups of eight will be responsible for alighting the fallen trolls with flame. The final group of soldiers will take up a defensive position behind us to warn of any approaching enemy, either from the towers themselves or the city."

"If there are no questions, then let us make our attack!" Validar will issue the necessary commands to the lieutenant and sergeants and move the groups forward. The column reforms into a four-man wide formation for ease of splitting the sub-groups. Each two ranks will form one squad.

Once the column nears the Gatehouse, Lord Validar will call to charge, leading the group against the trolls.

[Validar]

Arocken -

Arocken moves out in front of the column, bow at the ready, arrow nocked and ready to fire. His eyes scan the battlements as they close in.

Once they reach range and have line of sight, Arocken will begin shooting arrows at the trolls. He will concentrate on one further away from the rest if possible.

Po -

Po will thank the Dwarf Grondar for his healing. He continues to be vigilant, watching the area around the Gatehouse.

When the others shout their warning, Po ducks behind the stone battlement. After the arrows pass, he will look out again and sees the goblins advancing with flaming things. He will aim his shortbow and fire at the closest one to him.

[Acerion]

Acerion:

Crysania will greet Lord Acerion with a salute common to Heironeous followers and then will grasp his hands. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, fellow Axe Brother. I am delighted to find one of our kind amongst the city defenders. There is much work to be done, brother. I am sure that we are both up to the task."

Seeing that Lyonessa's efforts haven't completely healed Acerion, Crysania will finish the task. "No need to face the enemy and not be in peak condition if possible. Go forth on your task with the blessings of our god."

"My thanks to you, Lady Crysania," Acerion replies. "It pleases me as well to have met you, and maybe there will be some time for us to further talk once we return the city to its rightful residents."

Noting that Lord Validar is also injured, Crysania will step up to him next. "The same goes for you. Stand still and I shall heal your wounds."

Validar will raise his hand to halt Crysania's advance. "I have my own methods of healing. Your granted powers may be needed in another, more necessary manner soon enough."

Acerion merely smiles as he turns to head for his pegasus, knowing Validar's response before he even spoke it.

While Lord Acerion and Lyonessa are preparing to take flight once more, Crysania will slip into her combat gear. Her suit of chainmail is simply worn over her tattered robes and a helm and shield added for protection.

Acerion will take note of Crysania as she dons her armor. He has met many strong women in his travels and Crysania is no exception. There is something to their strength that moves him in a way he can not fully explain.

At Lord Acerion's direction, the pegasus banks to the east and then gently swings back to the west. The flight path will take the pegasus directly over the four active catapults down below. At Lyonessa's direction, the pegasus dives closer to the targets. (The wand only has a range of 100 yards.)

Acerion directs his pegasus as efficiently as possible, knowing the burden being carried. He believes he has set them upon a path that will make the most of their approach and labor the pegasus needlessly.

As the riders fly closer, more details of the Giants can be seen. They range from 15 to 20 feet in height with coal black skin and flaming orange hair and beards.

Once in range, Lyonessa unleashes a bolt from the wand. The lightning knifes through the night and strikes the first catapult. The entire area is briefly illuminated from the discharge. The catapult struck catches fire and the flames begin to spread rapidly!

Acerion longs to face off against those foes, truly worthy of battling. They are too far outnumbered to do so, and it would be a foolish death to face them now, no matter how much he craves it. He sees the effect of the wand and knows Lyonessa hit the target perfectly. He directs his pegasus to make one more circle in case they need to strike at the other ones.

The attack does not go unnoticed as numerous Giants point up into the sky as the white pegasus soars past. Several of the giants pick up small boulders and send them skyward! The first makeshift missile actually overshoots the pegasus and passes overhead! The strength these Giants possess must be incredible!

Several more boulders sail past the pegasus harmlessly, but one slams hard into the noble steed's flank! The pegasus lets out a yelp of pain and it becomes a great effort to remain airborne. The pegasus begins to dive toward the Vesubian River below!

Acerion winches as his pegasus is struck, and prepares to cling for his very life, or plunge into the river. Miraculously, the pegasus stays airborne, although their attack is now over. He looks to make sure Lyonessa is still seated with him. He must quickly decide where to try to set down.

The pegasus has been wounded and flying is no longer an option. Acerion will feel confident that he'll be able to guide the steed to the far shore of the Vesubian River. (That would be the same side of the river that the Guardians first approached the city from. So the Vesubian Gatehouse can be reached by walking south.)

Another option would be to bank to the right and try to land on the same shore as the Fire Giants are on, not that I would recommend it.

A third option would be to try and bank left and land inside the Duke's Fortress. This would be very dangerous as the pegasus would have to maintain enough altitude to clear the fortress walls.

Of course the easiest thing to do is splash down in the cold, fast moving waters of the Vesubian River and take your chances there.

Acerion will attempt to reach the far shore of the Vesubian River as it is the safest of all available options. Even though he wishes to face off against the giants, it still is not a survivable option, and the other options don't offer much better results.

If the paladin can, he will use his innate (racial) ability to heal his pegasus while in the air. If for some reason he can not, he will wait until they have landed. He knows it will not bring the pegasus back up to full health, but should help the pain somewhat. Once on the ground, he will draw his axe, and if they land at their destination, walk the pegasus back towards the Vesubian Gatehouse. He will keep an eye out for wandering enemies and be prepared to call out to his companions within the gatehouse to alert them.

[Lyonessa]

Lyonessa:

Seeing that Lyonessa's efforts haven't completely healed Acerion, Crysania will finish the task. "No need to face the enemy and not be in peak condition if possible. Go forth on your task with the blessings of our god."

Acerion is more injured than Lyonessa thought, but before she can complete her task, the priestess Crysania steps up and finishes healing him.

At Lord Acerion's direction, the pegasus banks to the east and then gently swings back to the west. The flight path will take the pegasus directly over the four active catapults down below. At Lyonessa's direction, the pegasus dives closer to the targets. (The wand only has a range of 100 yards.)

Lyonessa sees the force assembled against the city and is overwhelmed. Still she manages to show Acerion a good direction of attack and readies the wand.

Once in range, Lyonessa unleashes a bolt from the wand. The lightning knifes through the night and strikes the first catapult. The entire area is briefly illuminated from the discharge. The catapult struck catches fire and the flames begin to spread rapidly!

The attack does not go unnoticed as numerous Giants point up into the sky as the white pegasus soars past. Several of the giants pick up small boulders and send them skyward! The first makeshift missile actually overshoots the pegasus and passes overhead! The strength these Giants possess must be incredible!

Lyonessa lets out a small cheer as the lightning hits its target. The giants don't seem to take too kindly to her attack and she hunches down once the boulders start flying to make herself a smaller target.

Several more boulders sail past the pegasus harmlessly, but one slams hard into the noble steed's flank! The pegasus lets out a yelp of pain and it becomes a great effort to remain airborne. The pegasus begins to dive toward the Vesubian River below!

Acerion winches as his pegasus is struck, and prepares to cling for his very life, or plunge into the river. Miraculously, the pegasus stays airborne, although their attack is now over. He looks to make sure Lyonessa is still seated with him. He must quickly decide where to try to set down.

"I am still here!" Lyonessa will say when seeing the paladin look back. She is clinging to him and the pegasus both as the sudden fear of a deadly plunge overtakes her.

It seems like Acerion is trying to guide the pegasus close to the Vesubian gatehouse. Lyonessa says a quiet prayer to Mystra that they make it. Once they land, she will summon Dusk to her and impart a mission for her familiar, "Go and tell Lord Validar we will not be meeting him." She will be empathic with the animal, hoping to express to her familiar a way to communicate with Validar that the noble will understand. She will instruct Dusk to circle overhead and cry out. When Validar looks up, she wants Dusk to fly back towards the Vesubian gatehouse, or wherever Lyonessa and Acerion are at, but keep Validar in sight.

[Grondar]

Grondar:

Po will thank the Dwarf Grondar for his healing. He continues to be vigilant, watching the area around the Gatehouse.

"You're welcome, Po," Grondar replies. "The Revered Mother would have me do no less."

At nearly the same time, both Sherra and Valena call out. "INCOMING!"

Sudden arrow fire from outside the walls interrupts Valena's plan to depart. The crenellations along the top of the wall and Grondar's own shield provide plenty of cover for himself. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for everyone. Grondar spies one of the refugees manning the wall drop like a sack of potatoes amidst a spray of blood. Racing over to the man, Grondar examines him for signs of life and general condition.
___________________________________________________________
If the man is dead, Grondar will offer up a last prayer for his soul, then return to the battlements with his crossbow ready to perforate some goblins. If not, he will provide whatever healing (magical or otherwise) seems appropriate.

[Laucian]

Laucian

Laucian takes the rope and tosses it down over the wall once more. Valena steps up on the battlements and takes the rope in her hands. She suddenly stops and stares out into the darkness as if looking at someone.

Looking at his sister elf stare into the darkness Laucian follows suit. "What is..." he asks as the yell of 'Incoming' slightly deafens his hearing. Landing hard to the ramparts he lets out a curse from the impact as well as the whistling of arrows flying over the walls.

"Thanks," he will say with a smile as he rolls out from under her to a kneeling position. Moving to a high part of the wall, he activates his ring of Chameon power and looks looks out quickly and sees several goblins running forward with makeshift projectiles.

He will bellow to the novice archers, while undercover. "Use the walls to your advantage! Do not give them a steady target!!!!"

Arrows whistle by as he tries to peer into the darkness looking for the unseen archers. Seeing the goblins with makeshift flame bombs as a greater threat he begins casting his Hold Person spell and targets the center of the rushing humaniods.

[Chareos]

Chareos

"Thanks," Oran will say and down the skin's contents.

The young mage will nod and say, "You're welcome, friend. Tell me: How is it that your hammer returns to you?" he can't help but ask.

They soon move out and a few humaniods are seen about then flee from the assembled arms.

"Yes, we must find a place to rest," Drakkimor states. "The foul potion not only robbed me of my ability to think, but I have lost all the spells I once possessed. I will need to rest and then time to arm myself with magic. Let us move out."

"I am not sure how much use they would be to a Arch-mage such as yourself but I have a handfull of spells that may be beneficial if you would allow me the honor, sir. I have a Shield, Armor and Cat's Grace. Would any of these be of use to you?"

We soon reach the West gatehouse and Arocken is sent forth to investigate and scout. Upon his return Validar tells us the plan of action.

"There are six trolls. Lord Corley will attack one. Gorso and Oran, each another. Crysania and Chareos, a fourth together. I will combat a fifth. Whoever can kill their trolls the fastest will move on and attack the remaining or help those who need it. Arocken will fire his arrows as needed, concentrating at first on the free troll."

"Why did it have to be trolls," the young mage says under his breath as he recalls his last altercation with one. Making the best of it as he can he will approach Crysania and say in greeting, "A Pleasure to have met you. Shame it could not be under better circumstances."

As the preparations of battle are near complete Chareos will cast Mirror Image upon himself then begin moving forward with Crysania to their appointed troll. And proceed to pummel it into mush!

[Sherra]

Sherra:

Once the injured and dead have been taken care of, Grondar will return to wall with the others. He moves over near Sherra, pausing with crossbow in hand and looking out over the city. <"Hello my friend. How are you holding up?"> he asks in Dwarvish.

<"I am doing as best I can given the situation,"> Sherra admits to her dwarven friend in Dwarvish. Switching back to the more common tongue she adds, "Truthfully I feel like we're trapped waiting to see what happens at the mercy of those who make things happen. I don't like it at all."

Her words are soon enough echoed by what she spots out in the night.

Not too far away, Sherra paces the battlements keeping any eye out for trouble. Out in the darkness, she spots a momentary flash of light. As if a light source briefly reflected off of something shiny. Sherra pauses too get a better look.

At nearly the same time, both Sherra and Valena call out. "INCOMING!"

Unable to see where the arrows are coming from exactly, Sherra spends precious seconds ducking and weaving along the wall. Then she spots the goblins below rushing the wall, apparently with flaming oil or another equally destructive liquid. She will begin to fire arrows into the goblins below, starting with the closest threat and working her way back. She will also will her armor to match the stone around her to make her a bit harder to locate and target.

[Ivy]

Ivy:

Ivy listens to Valena's tale after the elf climbs up to the battlements but doesn't have much to offer herself.

"Hmm..." the dwarf murmurs. "So this Drakkimor and the rest of the adventurers are there in the castle? If they managed to liberate Fort Runnels, they must be a powerful group indeed. That would bolster the capabilities of those inside the castle significantly. Perhaps they will be strong enough soon to make attacks into the city."

"Yes, they are powerful," Ivy will agree. "Drakkimor uses Elcadan as his base of operations and there are many tales of their accomplishments. Drakkimor himself is a wizard on the par of the Lady Sallavarian, while each of the others are extremely skilled and powerful in their own right. Crysania is a High Priestess of Heironeous, while the dwarf Oran Firehammer and the half-ogre Gorso are powerful warriors. They have accomplished much good in their travels."


Ivy is close to Grondar and Laucian when Valena attempts to depart. Unable to use ranged weapons severely limits her usefulness in these trying times. She would have rather had gone with Acerion and the others as at least she could have been useful there.

The quiet is broken once more as a call of "INCOMING" is heard. Before she realizes what is going on, an arrow bounces off of Ivy's shoulder. Thankfully her protective Stoneskin is still active, but it has to be just about gone by now.

Seeing one of the refugee defenders go down, Ivy will move towards him while keeping low. Grondar beats her there.

"Help defend the gatehouse!", Ivy calls out. "I'll see if anything can be done for this poor soul."

[Argent]

Argent:

After learning that Valena is not a threat, Argent will move off and continue guard duty. She'll smile and thank Sherra and Laucian for their assistance when they pass by and check up on her.

The Invoker sees the Lightning Bolts flashing off in the distance and wishes that she was there instead of here. But alas, her combat magic is spent so there is no other choice in the matter.

Then the night is filled with arrows as goblins attack the gatehouse! Goblins can be seen rushing the Gatehouse with makeshift weapons. She's not sure just what is inside those bottles with the lit fuses on them and she'd rather not find out!

Argent will take aim with her bow and try to shoot the goblins closest to her on the ground.

[Valena Feador]

Valena:

The archer is ready to head off into the night once more when she sees movement in the nearby buildings. Enemy archers!

After letting everyone else know of the danger, Valena dives back onto the battlements and takes Laucian down with her.

"Thanks," he will say with a smile as he rolls out from under her to a kneeling position. Moving to a high part of the wall, he activates his Ring of Chameleon power and looks out quickly and sees several goblins running forward with makeshift projectiles.

"Any time," Valena responds as she rises to her feet. "Are you up for some target practice?"

Using the battlements for protection, Valena will rapidly begin to fire arrows down at the advancing goblins. She fires three shots per round for the time being and will aim each arrow at a different goblin.

[Corley]

Corley:

Lord Corley will ride along as directed. Once the command is given, he'll ride hard into the Gatehouse and engage one of the trolls in hand to hand combat. Once it has been slain, he'll engage another until they are all gone.

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

Crysania:

Validar will raise his hand to halt Crysania's advance. "I have my own methods of healing. Your granted powers may be needed in another, more necessary manner soon enough."

"Even if you have a healing potion or a magic item that repairs wounds, it will either take time or not be enough to affect a wound that severe. I very nearly have a full compliment of spells in my possession, so sparing one or two to help heal a noble warrior is not a burden. These people need their defenders to be at full strength. This isn't a question of courage, it’s a matter of practicality. Don't be foolish to refuse my offer."

"There are six trolls. Lord Corley will attack one. Gorso and Oran, each another. Crysania and Chareos, a fourth together. I will combat a fifth. Whoever can kill their trolls the fastest will move on and attack the remaining or help those who need it. Arocken will fire his arrows as needed, concentrating at first on the free troll."

"No offense to your friend here", Crysania speaks up, "But I do not need assistance to dispatch a troll. Let him attack the sixth one so that all of them are engaged and no one can be blindsided by it."

"My thanks to you, Lady Crysania," Acerion replies. "It pleases me as well to have met you, and maybe there will be some time for us to further talk once we return the city to its rightful residents."

"I'll look forward to it, Lord Acerion."

"Why did it have to be trolls," the young mage says under his breath as he recalls his last altercation with one. Making the best of it as he can he will approach Crysania and say in greeting, "A Pleasure to have met you. Shame it could not be under better circumstances."

"What you say is true, young warrior. We'll just have to make the circumstances better."



Drakkimor:

Seeing Drakkimor recovered, Validar will make his greetings. "My companions remain behind at the Vesubian Gatehouse and are defending it. We will meet up with them and continue our defense of the city as well as make plans for further attacks. You will be able to rest there."

Lord Validar will find Drakkimor to be a man of few words and is somewhat curt in his responses. It's also clear that he is accustomed to making decisions for his band. He's not the most friendliest of folks.

"That's fine. My people will be more than able to deal with whatever they throw at us. Pay attention and you might learn something."

"As for myself, even without spells I am not without resources." Drakkimor will pull several wands out of the Bag of Holding that Gorso was guarding for him. "One does not rise to my level of skill without garnishing some rewards along the way."

"I am not sure how much use they would be to a Arch-mage such as yourself but I have a handful of spells that may be beneficial if you would allow me the honor, sir. I have a Shield, Armor and Cat's Grace. Would any of these be of use to you?"

Drakkimor will regard Chareos for a moment as if wondering just who he is. "I don't intend to get that close to the battle. Save those magicks for yourself. Tomorrow you'll see my full powers unleashed against these humanoid hordes."

[Grondar]

Grondar:

<"I am doing as best I can given the situation,"> Sherra admits to her dwarven friend in Dwarvish. Switching back to the more common tongue she adds, "Truthfully I feel like we're trapped waiting to see what happens at the mercy of those who make things happen. I don't like it at all."

"I understand your feelings, my friend. This is not a situation that many would choose. There is much here to be done and many that need our help. It will be difficult, but I have faith that we will all do our utmost.

"Be of stout heart and good cheer, Sherra, and we will see this through. There are better times to come."

"Yes, they are powerful", Ivy will agree. "Drakkimor uses Elcadan as his base of operations and there are many tales of their accomplishments. Drakkimor himself is a wizard on the par of the Lady Sallavarian, while each of the others are extremely skilled and powerful in their own right. Crysania is a High Priestess of Heironeous, while the dwarf Oran Firehammer and the half-ogre Gorso are powerful warriors. They have accomplished much good in their travels."

"Ah, that is good to know," Grondar replies. "I hope we get an opportunity to meet such fabled heroes."

"Help defend the gatehouse!", Ivy calls out. "I'll see if anything can be done for this poor soul."

Ivy is only moments behind Grondar as he moves to help the wounded refugee. "As you wish, my lady," Grondar says. "Perhaps my crossbow can do some good."

Grondar races back to the battlements. Peering between the merlons, he gazes down at the goblins rushing the wall. Quietly lifting his crossbow and bracing it on the solid stone of the wall, he begins firing at the ugly creatures.

[Laucian]

Laucian

Argent wrote:
She'll smile and thank Sherra and Laucian for their assistance when they pass by and check up on her.

He will return her smile and speak of how well she has done so far, given that she is a novice in archery.

"Any time", Valena responds as she rises to her feet. "Are you up for some target practice?"

"But of course! Would you care to keep score?" he will retort.

[Chareos]

Chareos

"No offense to your friend here", Crysania speaks up, "But I do not need assistance to dispatch a troll. Let him attack the sixth one so that all of them are engaged and no one can be blindsided by it."

"None taken." He will look slightly taken aback though recovers quickly. Turning to Lord Validar, he says, "I believe our new friend may be correct. I should prove enough to slay it between my spells and staff."

Drakkimor will regard Chareos for a moment as if wondering just who he is. "I don't intend to get that close to the battle. Save those magicks for yourself. Tomorrow you'll see my full powers unleashed against these humanoid hordes."

At first he may have said something wrong by the look on the arch-mage's face but quickly forgot that they weren't properly introduced. "Forgive my rudeness. I am Chareos. Until tomorrow then," he will say with no note of rudeness in his voice.

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

Validar will raise his hand to halt Crysania's advance. "I have my own methods of healing. Your granted powers may be needed in another, more necessary manner soon enough."

"Even if you have a healing potion or a magic item that repairs wounds, it will either take time or not be enough to affect a wound that severe. I very nearly have a full compliment of spells in my possession, so sparing one or two to help heal a noble warrior is not a burden. These people need their defenders to be at full strength. This isn't a question of courage, it’s a matter of practicality. Don't be foolish to refuse my offer."

Lord Validar looks again at the blood soaking his tabard. "It is not a question of bravery, foolishness or the amount of healing power you have remaining. I have not willing accepted healing of the sort you offer in my entire life. I would be willing to use a healing potion given the circumstances, or natural healing techniques, but it is a personal matter as to my refusal otherwise."


"There are six trolls. Lord Corley will attack one. Gorso and Oran, each another. Crysania and Chareos, a fourth together. I will combat a fifth. Whoever can kill their trolls the fastest will move on and attack the remaining or help those who need it. Arocken will fire his arrows as needed, concentrating at first on the free troll."

"No offense to your friend here," Crysania speaks up, "But I do not need assistance to dispatch a troll. Let him attack the sixth one so that all of them are engaged and no one can be blindsided by it."

Validar considers Crysania's words. "Forgive my underestimation of the abilities of yourself and your allies, Priestess. By all means, we will adjust the attack plan as you suggest. Arocken, try to assist Chareos, if he needs it."


Lord Validar will find Drakkimor to be a man of few words and is somewhat curt in his responses. It's also clear that he is accustomed to making decisions for his band. He's not the most friendliest of folks.

"That's fine. My people will be more than able to deal with whatever they throw at us. Pay attention and you might learn something."

"As for myself, even without spells I am not without resources." Drakkimor will pull several wands out of the Bag of Holding that Gorso was guarding for him. "One does not rise to my level of skill without garnishing some rewards along the way."

Validar's eyes narrow at the insolence of the mage, Drakkimor. At once he is reminded of the pompous arrogance he experienced from the mage, Padraig, during his stay with the Seekers. Validar does his best to ignore it and also decides that at the first opportunity for their group and his to split up, the better.

"That is good to know. We will be able to do even more good for the city, if we can operate in different areas simultaneously. As for yourself, even better if you have additional resources. Your comment about needing to regain your spells did not seem to suggest such. Perhaps we do not even need to bother with a direct attack on the trolls and carrion worms if you are able to dispatch some or all of them with your magicks. This is not about honor or glory in battle. We simply need to be as efficient and as quick as possible. If we can secure the Western Gatehouse with no incident and no injuries, all the better for our next attack."

[GM Mad]

Post Closed